Why aren’t all Bibles the same? I.S., Jamaica
The English Bibles we read are translations: the Old Testament is translated from Hebrew and the New Testament from Greek. A person who translates the Bible must first understand the meaning of the book in the original language and then convey the sense of what was originally written into the English language.
You are actually familiar with the process because you have to do this for visitors to Jamaica. For example, when I visit Jamaica, I often have trouble understanding what is being said. That is because Jamaicans are talking to each other in a Jamaican dialect. If I were to ask you what they said, you would convey the meaning to me in English so I could understand. If I asked somebody else, they too would tell me what was being said but they might use different English words from yourself. Now you might think the second person used some words I would not understand properly and therefore you might feel your “translation” of the dialect was better.
The Bible was first translated into English many hundreds of years ago. Since the English language has changed a great deal over that period of time, we can not even understand those first English Bibles. It is thus necessary to provide new translations of the Bible into the English that people can understand today.
Of course some people feel they can do this better than others so there have gradually become a great many different translations of the Bible into English. Some of these translations are better than others and the best ones tend to be those which stand the test of much use over many years.
The “King James Version” is still the most common and is probably the one you with which you are most familiar. It is very good but does contain some words that we no longer use and which we may not understand correctly. There is a New King James Version (NKJV) which attempts to use only words that are common today. Another version which seems to be standing the test of time and broad use is the Revised Standard Version (RSV).
We would suggest that you stay with the King James Version (sometimes called the “Authorized Version”), the NKJV or the RSV as being reasonably accurate and easy-to-obtain versions of the English Bible. Do not accept paraphrase versions as being accurate translations (for example, the Living Bible) which are much too free in writing their own doctrinal ideas into their translations (see “Preface” to the Living Bible).
Prayer to Jesus
John 14:13-14 reads: “And whatever you ask in My name, that! will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (NKJV).
Does this mean we are to pray directly to Jesus? Are we to do it all the time? Only on specific occasions or in specific circumstances? It would seem that is what Jesus is saying. Are we wrong in not doing what he apparently is asking? Is it possible that by asking all things in “Jesus’ Name,” in the typical Christadelphian way of praying, we fulfill those verses?
T.H., USA
To answer the question, a consideration of relevant Bible passages is needed.
Consider N.T. examples
First we should consider the pertinent N.T. precedents, most of which are listed here:
“They lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which made the heaven…” Acts 4:24.
“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus. receive my spirit…” Acts 7:59.
“Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” Acts 12:5.
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God” Acts 16:25.
“Ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry. Abba. Father” Rom. 8:15.
“Ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me” Rom. 15:30. “…making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Eph. 1:16-17.
“I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Eph. 3:14.
“Let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Phil. 4:6-7.
“We give thanks to God always for you all…” I Thess. 1:2 (cp. also Col. 1:12; II Thess. 2:13).
“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work” II Thess. 2:16,17.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally…” James 1:5.
The overwhelming precedent is to address our prayers to God. The only exceptions in the above are Acts 7:59 and II Thess. 2:16,17, neither of which are prayers in the formal sense.
The phrasing of Philippians 4:6-7 is the most representative: prayer addressed to God with strong reference to the involvement of the Lord Jesus in the work of salvation and in answer to prayer.
Changes with the ascension
Second, we should recognize certain changes were made in the divine arrangements with the coming, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus.
- Jesus has been delegated the judge, the decider of life or death, the giver of eternal life and thus the one who forgives or retains sins: “The Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:21-22). “That ye many know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins…” (Mt. 9:6).
- In being set at the right hand of God and in his role as head of the ecclesia, Jesus has been given all power in heaven and earth with the angels being subject to him (Mt. 28:18; Eph. 1:20-22; I Peter 3:22).
- Jesus now directly supervises affairs in the lives of brothers and sisters (e.g. Rev. 2:5,16,22; 3:3,8,19).
The instruction in John 14-16
Recent articles on “The Comforter” (Tidings 8/95, 9/95) have drawn attention to Christ’s own instructions. The relevant statements are:
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do…If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14).
“Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” (15:16).
“Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you” (16:23).
“At that day (when he ascends to the right hand of God) ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me…” (16:26-27).
The right protocol
Considering these Bible passages, it is evident that God has delegated some of His power and authority to the Son. The Son is the one actually answering prayers and directing affairs affecting his servants. He does so, however, wholly in accord with God’s will and purpose and using God’s delegated authority and power. Thus the Father answers through the Son.
A right balance and perspective is maintained by praying to God in the name of the Son. If we were to pray to Jesus, we would become unbalanced in losing sight that all is of God. If we were to pray to God without reference to Christ, we would become unbalanced the other way and lose sight of the fact that all is accomplished through Christ.
Thus by praying to God in the name of Christ a right balance is maintained.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One